Signal-buoy.



H. H; HILL & R. ABELL.

SIGNAL BUOY. APPLICATION Hum D150. 22, 1902.

1 1 1 2,1 38, Patented Sept 29, 1914.

: v v 4 8HEETS-SHEET-1.

D O l WITNESSES: I INVENTORS" ATTORNEYS H. H..HILL 6: R. ABELL. SIGNAL BUOY.

APPLICATION FILED 11120.22, 19oz.

Patented Sept. 29,1914@ 4 sums-91mm 2.

I 35. 1 2' X214 l 2,0 (20 O I 23 2,3 If I ll T o 1 I 11 M [I I6 INVENTORS.

By M

ATTORNEYJ.

MOM

llll l Patented Sept. 29, 1914. 4 SEEETS-SHEET s.

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LI r Ill! SIGNAL 3302'. APPLICATION IILED DEC. 22, 1902.

H. H. HILL an. ABEL-L.

AT T ORNE Y .J

UNITED strATEsTPATEN OFFICE.

HORACE H. HILL, 0! SOMERVILLE, AND BOLLIN ABELL, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS TO SUBMARINE SIGNAL COMPANY, 011 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF in buoys operated by relative movement between the buoy and the water, and particularly to wave-operated buoys containing motive mechanism for converting the motion produced by the waves into work. It also relates specially to signal-buoys, the particular embodiment herein shown being a buoy provided with a signal so operated as to give signaling impulses in a regular or system atic manner, thus enabling the buoy pertaining to a particular locality to be recognized by mariners within its range.

' 0f the accompanying drawings,--Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a signal-buoy constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 represents an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation, partly, in section, on an enlarged scale, showing the lower part of the buoystructure. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig.7 represents a section on line 7-7 of'Fig. 5. Fig. 8 represents a side elevation of a modified form of bell-tongue actuator adapted to give a code-signal. Fig. 9 represents a side elevation showing a modification in which the bell is mounted above water, and-also showing the means whereby we may anchor the buoy.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

I In the drawings, Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, 10 is a can buoy body embraced by a frame or skeleton structure 11 from the lower side of which depends a rectangular skeleton frame 12, the latter carrying at itslower end a bell 13. At about the middle of the frame 12 is a shaft 14 alined with a hollow shaft or sleeve 15, and loose on said shaft and sleeve respectively are two pairs of arms 16 17 carrying vanes 18 18. These "anes are of a specific gravity substantially equal to that of water so that their normal position is about horizontal, the relative movements of the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 22. 1902. I Serial No. 136,181.

SIGNAL-BUOY.

' Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

buoy with respect to the water which immerses the van es causing said vanes to oscillate on their pivots. 19 19 are inclined stops or rests adapted to limit both the upward and downward movements of the vanes.

On the shaft 14are pinned clutch-collars 20 20 between which and the coniplementa-l clutch members formed by the hubs of one arm 16 17 of eachpair of vane-arms are interposed wedging rollers 21 21, said structure forming two clutches both of which tend to rotate the shaft 14 in the same direction of rotation and release said shaft from the arms 16 17 when the latter oscillate in a direction opposite to said direction of .rotation. We have designated the clutches generically by the numerals 23. A bevel-gearf wheel 22 is pinned to the shaft-14 seas to rotate therewith. On the sleeve 15 are two similarclutches 23 which both tend to rotate said sleeve in a direction opposite to that in. j which the shaft 14 and gear 22 are rotated.

24 is'a bevel-gear similar to. the gear 22 and secured to sleeve 15.

Meshing with the gears 22 24 are .two bevel-gears 25 26 to whose shafts are splined claw-clutch members 27 27 forming halves of two clutches 28 29. The other halves 30 30 of said clutches are formed on two spurgears 31 32 meshing with vertical racks 33 33 formed on weights 3434 which slide on vertical guides 35 35 on the frame 12. The clutch members .27 are connected to each other by a link 36 and to pivoted levers 37 37 actuated by canis 38 38 on the weights 34 34, the efiect being that when one of'the clutches is thrownin the other will be thrown out and "ice versa.

Near the lower ends of the Weights 34 their racks 33 mesh with spur-gears 39. 40. The said gears connect through clutches 41 41, similar to the clutches 23, with bevel-. gears 42 43, said clutches being so arranged as to rotate their respective gears always in the same direction. The gears 42 43 mesh with a gear 44 with which rotates a spur gear 45 meshing with a pinion 46. The latter is fast on the same shaft with a toothed wheel 47 which engages the upper end of a pivoted tongue-lever, clapper or striker 48 for striking the bell 13. Springs 49 49 act in opposition to the movement produced by the toothed wheel 47.

.The operation is as follows :-The movement relatively to thewater. of the. part of the wheels 26 the teeth of said weights, produced at a predetermined rate,

the buoy-frame 12 supporting the vanes 18 and operating to take the weight of the causes said vanes to oscillate on their pivots and. through the clutches 23 and wheels 24 will be rotated. The particular clutch 28 01-29 which is then operative will cause the corresponding gear 31 or 32 to be rotated and the corresponding weight 34 will be raised step-by-step. The other weight will at the same time be freeto descend. The Weight is permitted by the clutches 41 without producing any movement in the Wheels 42 43, but the descending movement of either weight produces a movement in these gears. v

As soon as'the ascending Wei ht reaches a predetermined upward limit 0 movement .its cam 38 acts on one of the arms 37 and theoperative clutch 28 or 29 is thrown out, the other clutch of the pair being at the same time thrown into operation. The ascending weight therefore immediately starts to descend and the descending Weight starts to ascend so that there will always be one Weight ascending and one weight descending. The movement of the descending weight, transmitted from gear 42 or 43 to gear 44 and through gears 45 46 to the toothed wheel 47, causes the bell-tongue 48 to be intermittently engaged and released by Wheel 47. At each release the springs 49 cause the tongue to strike against the bell 13 Whose vibrations transmitted through the medium of the water in which the buoy floats may be received by suitable detecting apparatus on shore or attached to vessels within range of the buoy.

As theimpulses of the bell are emitted or produced according toa known code or in a regular or systematic manner, the signals of each particular buoy if so arranged as to distingulsh from others, will enable the buoy and the locality to be recognized. It is also evident that in addition to being given in a systematic manner, the signals .are, by reason of the uniform action of the or astated number in a given period of time.

Fig. 8 shows the toothed wheel 47 arranged so as to give a diiierent code-signal from the wheel in Fig. 3 and said Fig. '8

also shown the motion of said wheel govabove water.

cm by an escape-wheel 50 and pawl 51.

As the invention is equall applicable to the propagation of signals t ough the air we have in Fig. 9- shown the bell 13 mounted This figure also illustrates a nov l means which we may employ for anchoring either of the two'itorms of buoys shown.

500 is a chain extending from the buoy to a fixed anchor 510 on bottom.

52 is 'a" float (preferably adjustable) placed at an intermediate part of the chain ascending motion of eitherlower part of said chain from the buoy, there being, as seen, a flexible anchorin connection from the float to the anchor, an a flexible or compensating connection from the float to the buoy. The buoy relieved of the Weight of most of the chain, will be more sensitive in its movement and its mechanism will respond to smaller waves than would be the case with a great weight of chain supported wholly by the buoy.

In addition to the desirable feature of producing signals either above or below water by means of a wave-operated motor at a predetermined rate, our improved wavemotor possesses useful features of novelty, the power-storing and utilizing means being simple and effective and the action of the vanes 18 very eflicient. These vanes will be oscillated both by the vertical movements of the buoy with respect to the water and also by the oscillating movements of the buoy or its movements as a Whole through the Water, providedthese movements change direction as do those produced by waves.

e claim 1. In a signal buoy, in combination, a signaling means, a pair, of power-storing devices, means operable by wave motion, means for operatively connecting one of said power storing devices to said Wave operated means to cause power to be stored and for simultaneously causing the disconnection of the other ofsaid devices from said Wave operated means, and means for operatively connecting each of said devices with said signaling means when disconnected from said wave operated means.

2. In a signal buoy, in combination, a signaling means, a pair of power-storing devices, means operable by wave motion, au-

tomatic means for operatively connecting one of said power storing devices to said wave operated means to cause power to be stored and for simultaneously and positively causing the disconnection of the other of said devices from said wave operated means, and means for operatively connecting each of said devices with sai signaling means when disconnected from said wave operated means.

3. In a signal buoy, in combination, a signaling means, a pair of power-storing devices, means operable by wave motion means for operatively connecting one of said power storing devices to said wave operated means to cause power to be stored and forsimultaneously causing the disconnection of the other'of said devices from said Wave operated means, and means for operatlvely connecting each of said devices with said signaling means to cause said device to exert the power stored thereby upon said si aling means during its entlre pedisconnection from said wave operated means, said last named connecting for accumulatin power in said power-stormeans belng moperative when the corremg devices, an means actuated by sa1d sponding power storing deyice is moved by power storing devices for operating said said wave operated means. I signaling means.

a. In a signal buoy, in combination, a sig- 7. In a signal buoy, a signaling means, a naling means, a panof vertically recipro: pluralit of weights, means for connecting eating weights, means operable by wave mosaid weights and signaling means for opertion, means for operatively connecting one ating said signaling means, a float, subof said weights to said wave operated means merged oscillating planes connected thereto cause the same to be raised and for sim'ulwith operable by wave motion, and means taneously causing the disconnection of the for automatically connecting said weights other of said weights from said wave 01 with said wave operable means. -40

erated means, and means for operatively 8. In a signal buoy, a signalin means, a connecting each of said weights with said pair of weights acting successive (y on said signaling means when disconnected from means, means for operating sai Weights said wave operated means. comprising a float, submerged oscillating 5. In a signal buoy, signaling means, a lanes and means connected therewith Open plurality of weights, means actuated by said able by wave motion, and means for autoweights for operating said signaling means, matically connecting said wave operated a float, a pair of submerged pivotally oscilmeans with said weights alternately.

latingfins acted upon by the water, means In testimony whereof we have aflixed our operated by said fins for raising said signatures, in presence of two witnesses. weights, and means for alternately connect- HORACE H HILL ing said weights with said raising means. I ROLLIN ABZELL 6. In a signal buoy, a signaling means, a plurality of power-storing devices, a float, Witnesses: submerged oscillating planes operable by R. M. PmnsoN, wave motion, means actuated by said planes ADELINE C. RATIGAN. 

